


Don't Save Me

by laneskim



Category: Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games (Movies), The Hunger Games (Movies) RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Explicit Language, F/M, I think that's it - Freeform, Jock!Katniss and Art Kid!Peeta, Katniss will always be a POC i'll die on this hill, Private School, Slow Burn, as well as Gale, i guess
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-22
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:20:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25436056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/laneskim/pseuds/laneskim
Summary: Katniss Everdeen is about to lose her dear schoolarship if she doesn't get a tutor for art class soon.Thank god there's a certain boy willing to help her.
Relationships: Cato/Clove (Hunger Games), Katniss Everdeen/Peeta Mellark, everlark - Relationship
Comments: 5
Kudos: 31





	1. too early for archery

Katniss breaths in. 

Her left hand holds the bow tight, while the right hand accommodates the arrow with precision, getting prepared to shoot. 

She breaths in, once again, trying to focus on the center of the target.

“Hey Catnip.”

Katniss shoots, the arrow sticking into the outer circles.

“You ruined my shot.” she’s angry and with obvious reasons.

“What are you doing so early on here?”

“I needed to think, Gale” her tone is cold. She goes to get the arrow back, storing her things in her big backpack, except for the bow, which she stills is holding on to. They are at the gym, the closed indoor though, since they are not allowed outside at that early in the morning. The gym is gigantic, but the part dedicated for bow and arrow is small, at least indoors.

“At 7am?” Gale raises an eyebrow. “That’s early, even for you.”

“It’s like you don’t even know me.” she replies, walking away. Katniss walks out of the gym, followed by Gale, who still tries to understand what’s going on with her. They are now at one of the school halls, completely empty right now.

“No, I do know you, that’s how I know something’s wrong.”

Katniss arrives at her locker, where she puts her backpack and the bow. Gale raises a brow, an interesting choice of decoration.

“Nothing’s wrong.” she closes the door with a loud ‘ _Tunk!_ ’ 

“The cat tried to kill you?” Gale guesses, making Katniss smile. “Ah, you killed the cat!”

“There was no cat involved!” she’s laughing, _really_ laughing.

“No killing either?”

“Of course not.” she replies, serious again. “It’s just, I think that I’m failing a class.”

“Ah please, you’re not.”

“It’s true!”

“You are all saddened up, shooting arrows at 7 in the morning just because you’re _failing a class?_ ” unbelievable if you ask Gale.

“Yes!” she exclaims, her perfectly braided her moving uncontrollably. “If I fail a class, the school will take away my scholarship.”

_Oh._

That made more sense.

“Okay, which class is it?” _maybe I can help_ , Gale thinks but doesn’t say it. Katniss doesn’t need any help, and doesn’t like it when it’s offered to her.

“Art.” Katniss grunts, it’s pathetic. She doesn’t even like the class, but she _tries_ to and puts effort on her projects, but it’s not enough. The teacher is, in Katniss opinion, a bitch. A bitch who lacks taste and only likes posh stuff. Or whatever Mellark and Cartwright do. 

“And it’s sure that you’re failing?”

“Well no, but-” she starts saying while Gale just haves her judgemental look and shakes his head. “No, but I’ve tried everything! And the stupid teacher doesn’t think it’s enough!” she’s practically screaming now.

“Okay okay, calm down.” Gale exhales, thinking. “I hate to say it but-”

“No.”

“You don’t even know what I was going to say!”

“You were about to tell me that you would help me.” Katniss shakes her head. Of course she would say no to help.

“No, duh. I suck at art.” Gale said, and Katniss laughed because it was true. Thank God Gale didn’t had an art class or he would have failed.

“Then?”

“You have to ask for a tutor. Or someone you could pay and they make your projects.”

Katniss laughs, but quickly frowns. She _has to_ ask help, even if she hates it. “Maybe I can ask Prim. But I doubt it, she has her own homework to do.”

“Catnip, I’m afraid but, we’re gonna get yourself a tutor.”

* * *

“Peeta!” someone screams, making the blond boy turn around searching for whoever wanted to see him. It’s Delly Cartwright, running towards him, wearing a plaid skirt that makes her look younger. Peeta smiles at the sight of her friend. “Wait for me!”

“Hey Delly.” Peeta says, calmly. He’s just arriving at school, a bit early for him, but it’s good running into Delly. After all, she is his best friend.

“Peeta! I didn’t expect to see you here so early.” Delly says with her classic big smile that everyone loved. 

Peeta shrugs. “I like saving a good seat for art class.”

“Oh! I totally forgot we had art class today.” Delly says, as she and Peeta walked through the hallways. “Is it the last day to finish the project.”

Peeta shakes his head. “No, Miss Tigris gave us another 2 weeks.”

“Oh thank god, I’ve so many ideas for my painting.” Delly starts saying, but Peeta is focusing on something else. _Someone_ else.

Katniss Everdeen, his long lost crush, is standing 30 feet away from him, putting an ad in the notice board. 

Peeta felt his heart race, that until he notices Katniss is standing next to _him_. Gale Hawthorne. 

“Peeta are you alright?” Delly asks, bringing Peeta back to reality. “Oh-” she realizes Katniss is there, with Gale. Delly is the only person who knows how Peeta feels about the girl.

“Yeah. It doesn’t matter, she’s with her boyfriend.”

“That’s not her boyfriend.” Delly frowns.

“How are you so sure?” Peeta is suddenly interested.

“Well, I’ve seen Hawthorne flirt with Madge.” Madge, Madge Undersee, the daughter of a famous politician and Delly’s crush. 

“Oh.” Peeta simply answers, noticing her friend is now the sad one.

“Well, let’s see what’s new in the Notice Board.” Delly says once Katniss and her friend are gone. 

“Delly, that’s not a good idea-” but Delly is already on her way, Peeta has no option but to follow her.

“A-ha! She’s looking for a tutor!” Delly points at the ad, made in a notebook sheet and written in blue marker, with a (badly) drawn sad face “An art tutor!”

“Don’t even think about it, I already promised Marvel I would help him with his painting.” 

“Oh he will understand.” Delly replies, before making puppy eyes. “Come on! It’s Katniss Everdeen we are talking about.”

Peeta stares at the ad which read “Are you an art expert? Please help me” And then the contact info and in tiny letters, under the sad face, it read “I need an art tutor, sorry if I wasn’t clear.”

He laughs, because it was funny _and_ pathetic. 

“Okay.” he says, knowing that he would regret it later.

“Yeah? Awesome!” Delly claps with excitement. “And you don’t even have to call her number, you could see her directly in class!”

Oh, he hadn’t thought about that.

“Yeah sure- It’s gonna be great.” Peeta tries to smile, but he is nervous. Thinking about her makes him nervous and excited. So excited, he can almost feel his heart racing, faster and faster.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this started as a random idea on twitter and now!! thanks to everyone's support it's here. this story will be more focused on everlark, but there will be certain appearances ;) also may be i can do this a series and write of another certain couple i really love


	2. not the oils !

Tigris Snow is in charge of 20 sweaty and hormonal teenagers in a tiny classroom for the first two hours of the day. It’s not the best way to start a day but it’s  _ her _ way of starting a day. Once a renowned artist, Tigris, or Miss Tigris as the students call her, is now forced to spend her talent on teaching art in a High School. 

Despite being a bit grumpy most of the time, Peeta Mellark likes her. She is his favorite teacher, and not just because she compliments whatever Peeta does. He thinks she’s a great artist, despite not being the best of the teacher since she usually just tells the class what they have to do, gives them a deadline and then gives most of them bad grades. Most of them, ‘cause Peeta and occasionally Delly are the only ones who get above A.

Right now, they are at her class, everyone is supposed to be working on the project, a personal painting about their family, but most of the students are not doing anything at all. Like dear Marvel, who’s sleeping in a seat next to Peeta.

“I can’t believe you were supposed to help him with his painting!” Delly exclaims, a bit horrified. She’s sitting on the other side, next to Peeta, and they are both  _ actually _ painting.

“I can’t just wake him up.” Peeta shrugs, adding more yellow paint on his palette. 

“Good thing you’re now tutoring Katniss Everdeen, huh.” Delly teases him, making Peeta blush. 

“Not so loud! I haven’t said anything to her.” They both turn around to the dark corner where Katniss usually sits by herself. She’s now struggling to open a tube of oil painting. Delly gasps.

“Not the oils !” but Peeta doesn’t hear her anymore, he stands up and goes directly to where Katniss is. When he realizes it’s a big mistake, he’s already standing in front of the girl.

“Uh, can I help you?” Katniss asks once she sees Peeta. 

“Yes. No! I came here to help you, actually.” Katniss doesn’t look satisfied with that answer. “With that oil tube, I mean.”

Katniss stutters for a second but hands the tube to Peeta, who successfully opens it. 

“Thanks.” Katniss replies once Peeta hands back the oil tube.

“Orange huh.” he refers to the oil tube color, who Katniss is now putting in her palette. 

“Yeah.” it’s clear she doesn’t want to talk.

“What are you painting?” the blond looks to Katniss’ canvas, only to find out it’s completely blank. The girls shrugs. “Oh-”

“Yeah, oh. I don’t know what to paint. Or how to paint.” she admits. Her expression and posture softens once she says that, it’s clear it’s been bugging her.

“Well, I can help.” Peeta smiles proudly. “I saw your ad, on the Notice Board. About needing an Art Tutor.”

Katniss frowns, she still doesn’t like the idea. “Uhm yeah, I kinda need help. You can see why.”

“So?”

“So, I need you to be some kind of tutor. Please. If you like.” she is kind of nervous, but not nervous in an I’m-talking-to-my-crush kind of way, it was more of an I-don’t-like-asking-for-help-but-I-really-need-your-help.

Peeta smiles, he’s willing to help, and not because he likes her. “Absolutely, I’d love to. You want like-uh. Private classes?” that sounds dumb.

“Yes, something like that.” Katniss partially smiles. “I just need to get good grades for the rest of the semester that’s all I ask. I will pay you.” 

“So I’ll be teaching you how to paint?” Peeta likes the idea. He’s almost done with his own painting and now that he’s resigned to help Marvel, it’s a good way to spend his time. And to gain a few extra money.

“If you can, yes please.”

“Of course! Just tell me when and I’ll be there.” he sounds too enthusiastic, compared to Katniss’ serious expression.

“Are you free this afternoon?” 

Peeta thinks about it. “Yeah! I think we can work fine in this classroom.” He smiles. “Just let me talk to Miss Tigris and we’ll be fine, okay?”

“Sure. Thank you, Mellark.” Katniss smiles.

“You’re welcome, Everdeen.” Peeta goes back to his seat, where Delly is waiting for him, with the biggest smile on her face. “What?”

“You basically got a date!”

“Uh? No! I’ll just help her okay?” he’s back focusing on his own canvas. “Besides, I don’t think she likes me back.”

“She’ll do Peeta, it’s part of your charm.” Delly tells him, grinning. Peeta keeps painting, trying not to blush. She really likes Katniss, even if they haven’t interacted that much. Truth be told, today is the first time they established a real conversation.

  
  


* * *

Once the bell rings, Katniss gets up as fast as she can, and gets out of the hell that is art class. After her talk with Peeta, she ended up doing absolutely nothing, so she was bored out of her mind.

Outside the classroom, Gale is waiting for her. She smiles at the sight of her friend and runs towards him, holding her empty canvas in one hand.

“Hey Catnip.” he greets her, while they start walking through the hall, avoiding the crowd. “How was art class?”

“Hell, as always. But I got myself a tutor.” she’s proud of herself for that.

“Really? That’s great!” Gale smiles, as they keep walking to their lockers. “Who is it?”

“Mellark boy.” Katniss shrugs, opening her locker and shoving up her painting canvas, next to the bow.  _ She doesn’t even have books there _ , Gale thinks until Katniss takes out a notebook full of magazine cutouts on the cover.

“Mellark?” Gale wrinkles his nose, with disgust. “Isn’t he a rich kid?”

“Yeah, but who cares? He’s willing to help.” Katniss closes the locker door. “And he’s the best artist in the class so, better for me.”

“Yeah but he’s just so-” Gale grimaces, thinking what to say next as Katniss is staring at him. “Well, rich! He’s a silver spoon baby.”

“I don’t care, at least for now.” Katniss shrugs again, she’s not interested in starting a discussion. “Now let’s go, we have classes, remember?”

They start walking again, until they’re blocked by a tall, blond guy and a few of his friends. 

“Talking about silver spoon babies…” Katniss mutters. “Hi Cato, what can I do for you today?”

“Ah hi, didn’t see you there.” Cato, the main blond guy, says to Katniss with a grin in his face. He’s taller than Gale, and stronger. His other friends laugh with him, standing besides him. There’s Marvel, a slim and tall guy, Glimmer, who keeps playing with her blonde curls and Clove, the tiny and full of freckles girl. “How are things going,  _ Girl on Fire _ ?”

“It’s been years, let it go.” Katniss rolls her eyes. “If you don’t need anything, get out the way.”

Gale stares back at Cato, who keeps smiling. “Move over.”

“Okay okay, we just wanted to say hi, right guys?” Cato tells his friends, who laugh with him. Katniss hates all of them. They’re just rich and spoiled kids who’ve made her life difficult since middle school. “Let’s go then, bye Girl on Fire.”

Katniss sticks out her tongue as the group of teenagers walks past her, the freckled girl does the same. 

“See, now those are the real rich kids.” she tells Gale, once they’re near the classroom. “They are the real enemy, not Peeta.”

“Whatever, I still don’t like him.” 

“Well, you don’t have to like him, he’s _ my _ tutor.” Katniss points out, coldly. Gale is being childish, jealous even and she doesn’t like it. “I’ll see you at lunch.” 

And just like that, she enters the classroom leaving Gale alone. He made her angry, at least a bit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> disclaimer !! i haven't read tbosas (but i've been spoiled on twitter) so all i know about tigris is what i read in Mockingjay, i just added her 'cause she seemed like the type of person to be an art teacher.  
> this is a bit short but !! i hope y'all like it hehe. thanks for all the love in the past chapter, i'm so glad you liked it


	3. lost in the cafeteria

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hehe the title is a movie reference ;)

  
  


_¡Crack!_

That’s the sound of Katniss Everdeen’s pencil, broken in half. She was holding the pencil in her hand, a bit too strong and now it’s useless. She sighs, what a waste of time. 

The class she’s in? Algebra II, but it’s too boring for her, she already knows all this stuff. _To be such a prestigious school, their math program surely sucks ass_ , she thinks.

Instead of paying attention to the class, Katniss is now thinking about his dear and only friend Gale Hawthorne. Specifically, she’s thinking about his attitude today, how Gale reacted about Katniss getting an art tutor.

But that wasn’t what bothered him, he got angry because of _who_ was Katniss tutor. Mellark. Mellark! Katniss doesn’t even know his real name, she just calls him by his last name and yet, Gale seemed to be bothered by Mellark’s existence.

But he was not angry, at least not fully. Bothered, maybe. 

He is jealous! 

_¡Crack!_

One half of the pencil broke, _again_. Apparently Katniss needs to control her strength.

That makes more sense, it was jealousy, not anger. Katniss smiles to herself, the thought of Gale being jealous of _Mellark boy_ is so funny to her, for some reason. It’s ridiculous! Katniss hasn’t even talked to Mellark like, ever, today was the first time. And why would Gale be jealous? Katniss is just her friend…

_Unless._

No, no. Katniss thinks of Gale as a friend, her _best friend_ since they were 9, to be exactly. Gale had the exact feelings for her.

Right?

_¡Crack!_

  
  


* * *

  
  
  


Peeta is waiting in a table by himself, with his lunch on a red tray. Waiting for Delly, who has yet to leave her biology class. Peeta sighs, none of his other friends are around, the whole cafeteria is empty. There is a girl reading a book on a table near him, a muscular guy sitting by himself and drinking soda and Katniss Everdeen sitting by herself.

_¡Katniss Everdeen sitting by herself!_

Oh this could be his chance to talk to her without Gale being there. But he had to wait for Delly to arrive…

_If Delly was here right now, she would told me to go talk to her_ , Peeta thinks, which is probably true. Delly is the one who always encourages him to do that kind of stuff.

The blond stands up with his tray, walking directly to the table Katniss is sitting in. Oh no, but he’s regretting it already. She’s distracted, Peeta could turn around and go back to his table and she wouldn’t notice. But she’s also looking very pretty right now and that gives Peeta the strength to arrive where she is.

“Hi!” he greets her, cheerfully. That takes Katniss by surprise, she opens her eyes a lot at the sight of the blond in front of her. “Can I sit here?”

She thinks about if for a second, but to Peeta it feels like minutes, minutes where his heart stops. “Yeah, why not.”

“Your friend left you by yourself?” Peeta asks, jokingly. Katniss wrinkles her nose, not comfortable with how friendly Peeta is being. 

“What?”

“Eh- I mean, Gale. Is he around?” 

Katniss shrugs. “I don’t know. I haven’t talked to him. Why?”

“Just curious.” he’s blushing and he knows it, so he takes a sip of his milk carton. “So, what are you doing?”

Katniss points at the sandwich she has in her hand. “Eating.” her tone is cold, maybe she doesn’t want to be bothered.

“Sure, me too.” _wait that’s obvious_ , Peeta thinks.

But Katniss laughs, softly, not mocking him but definitely laughing of what he said. A smile appears on Peeta’s face. Once Katniss stops laughing, they both stay silent.

“So, just wanted to check in. If the class is still on.”

“Yeah it is. Why would I change my mind in two hours.” she’s mocking him, that’s sure. Peeta laughs, playing along. 

“I don’t know, perhaps you found someone else.” he says, before biting his apple. “Someone better.”

“ _Someone better!_ Pfft, Mellark, you’re the best artist in this school.” Katniss makes a hand gesture, as she’s brushing it off but Peeta’s eyes are basically glowing. So she has noticed him after all.

“I’m not.” he’s blushing now. “But thanks, and my name’s Peeta, by the way.”

“Katniss, but I feel like you already know that.” she smiles at him, a kind smile. Peeta smiles back at her and for a second there, he feels something between both of them, _a spark._

Until that spark is gone, because Gale Hawthorne sits loudly next to Katniss. Peeta stops smiling as the other boy looks at him with a cold look.

“Hey Gale.” Katniss tone changes, she’s more serious now. Peeta bites his apple again, not knowing what to do next. Gale isn’t exactly known for being friendly and he’s a scary guy: tall and with a look that could kill you.

And now he’s staring at Peeta with that look, like he’s an intruder in his kingdom.

“Hi Katniss.” he puts his red tray with food on the table loudly, while Peeta keeps eating his apple. _Is he ignoring me? Does he hate me?,_ thinks Peeta. 

“This is Peeta. Mellark, remember?” Katniss introduces Peeta who smiles weakly at Gale. Gale keeps the same expression on his face. “He’s gonna be my art tutor.”

“Yeah, that’s me.” Peeta says, trying to socialize with Gale, but he’s undefeated, his face serious as ever.

“Whatever.” Gale finally says, with despise.

He and Katniss start to eat their respective sandwich, while Peeta is trying to sit still, looking at both of them. They look similar, they have the same olive skin color, the dark black hair and the the same grey eyes. But they aren’t related and everyone knows that, the whole school thinks they’re dating and with a reason, they are practically inseparable.

But Peeta knows best and as he told Delly, he’s seen Gale trying to flirt with Madge Undersee, who’s unbothered by Gale’s presence. Or that’s what it looks like in Peeta’s eyes.

Katniss, on the other hand, is always too busy practicing archery to actually have a former boyfriend. 

“So, I think that’s all.” Peeta stands up with his red tray once he sees Delly’s blonde curls walking in the cafeteria. “See you later, Everdeen.”

That makes Katniss smile. “See you, Mellark.”

And with that, Peeta flees to safety, aka where Delly is, leaving Katniss with Gale behind.

“Are you alright?” Delly asks him, once they sit together at a new table. The cafeteria is now filled with more people around them. “Where you with Katniss?”

Peeta smiles, blushing. “Yep, I was just talking to her.”

“Look at you!” Delly punched him in the arm, softly, making Peeta laugh. “Once so scared of talking to the girl and now you’re practically his boyfriend.”

“Don’t exaggerate, we just talked.”

“Well and what happened?” Delly is looking at Peeta with curiosity. “Why aren’t you with her now?”

“Uhm-I wanted to be with you.”

Delly laughs. “No you didn’t! You prefer Katniss’ company over mine.”

“I don’t! Delly you’re my best friend in the whole world-” he stops talking, Delly is giving him a look like she doesn't believe what he’s saying. “Fine! Gale arrived.”

“Gale? Ah Hawthorne.” Delly is serious, now that she knows that Gale possibly likes Madge, she doesn’t like him. “What about him?”

“Well, he’s just-” Peeta moves his hands around, trying to explain what he thinks. “He didn’t like my presence there.”

Delly looks over her shoulder to where Katniss and Gale are sitting. They are talking now, both of them smiling as if nothing had happened. “Uhm. Why?”

“I don’t know! It’s like he didn’t want to me be there with Katniss, it’s like-”

“ _He’s jealous._ ” Delly interrupts, with a grin on her face. 

“Yeah.” Peeta realizes, thoughtful. “But why? Katniss and him aren’t dating.”

Delly thinks about it, until she realizes. “But that doesn’t stop Gale from liking her, though.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is kinda short but i wanted to post hehehe  
> hope you like it and don't forget to comment your opinion


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